Do you know the ingredients in your shampoo?

In the world of solid shampoos, the quality of the ingredients is essential to ensure effective and gentle cleansing. The presence of sulfates in shampoos has garnered significant interest in recent years, especially with the rise of natural cosmetics.

In this article, we will thoroughly analyze the most common substances used to guarantee cleansing power in shampoos. We will explore the role of sulfates and their more natural alternatives, comparing their characteristics, benefits, and potential effects.

Join us as we uncover how these ingredients impact the effectiveness and experience of your solid shampoo.

For many years, sulfates have been widely used in the cosmetics industry, especially in shampoos, due to their ability to produce abundant foam and effectively remove oil and dirt from hair. These ingredients became a standard for their high performance and low cost, establishing themselves as a predominant option in personal care products.

However, although these ingredients ensure deep cleansing, they have also been criticized for being too harsh, stripping away natural oils from the scalp and hair. This can lead to dryness, irritation, and even a rebound effect, where the scalp produces more oil to compensate for this imbalance. In case you’re wondering and want to avoid sulfates in your shampoos, whether solid or not, the most common ones include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS), Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALES), and Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate.

These concerns about sulfates have fueled a trend towards milder formulas and less irritating alternatives, sparking a debate on the safety and effectiveness of sulfates in shampoos.

In response, options like Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) and Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), two surfactants derived from coconut oil, have emerged as gentler and more environmentally friendly alternatives. Below, we explain their differences.

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI)

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a coconut-derived surfactant, obtained by reacting isethionic acid with coconut fatty acids. It is known for its gentleness and is commonly used in personal care products for its ability to clean effectively without stripping the skin or hair of natural oils. It provides a gentle cleanse without causing irritation or drying out the scalp, maintaining a balanced level of hydration thanks to a light, delicate foam.

Both Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) and Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) are widely used in solid shampoo formulations as substitutes for more aggressive conventional sulfates.

Now, the questions you might have are: What sets SCS apart from SCI if both are synthetic surfactants derived from coconut oil, with great detergent effect? Which one is chosen by Massio for its solid shampoos?

At Massio, we strive for excellence and have found a clear winner in this comparison.

Our laboratory has been dedicated to selecting the best ingredients for our products for over 10 years. These years of experience in natural cosmetics manufacturing and our understanding of the market have led us to select Sodium Coco-Sulfate (SCS) as the surfactant in our shampoos. Our choice is based on the differences in the production process of each of these two ingredients.

Although many manufacturers promote SCI as a natural ingredient because it is derived from coconut oil, they do not mention that SCI is primarily produced through ethoxylation with ethylene oxide, a petrochemical solvent. This process can leave 1,4-dioxane residues in the final product, a compound classified as a possible carcinogen, raising serious doubts about the true naturalness of SCI.

The use of SCI is often justified by its moisturizing properties and good tolerance on all skin types. However, although SCI is classified as a mild surfactant, its concentration in solid shampoos can range from 10% to 90% of the formula, which could increase the risk of skin irritation.

Moreover, proponents of SCI often argue that the absence of the word "sulfate" in its INCI name indicates that the product is sulfate-free. However, both SCS and SCI are ingredients derived from coconut oil fatty acids and contain a sulfate group (SO3-) that enhances their cleansing ability, so the difference in the SULFATE/ISETHIONATE naming lies in the chemical nomenclature that identifies the sulfate group bond to fatty acid derivatives.

Thus, we can only deduce that the use of SCI in many products is largely due to a lack of technical knowledge by those who use it, coupled with its ease of availability and low cost.

In summary, the main difference between these two compounds lies in their production processes and environmental implications. SCS is obtained by direct sulfonation of coconut fatty alcohols, a process that generates very few residues and has minimal environmental impact. Therefore, SCS is considered a natural ingredient and is certified by entities such as COSMEBIO, ECOCERT, and BDIH.

In contrast, SCI is mostly produced through a long series of chemical transformations involving ethylene oxide, a petrochemical solvent considered carcinogenic, which we’ve seen can leave residues of 1,4-dioxane, a compound banned in certified natural cosmetics.

This information suggests that Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) cannot be considered truly natural, and its safety for human use remains uncertain. Furthermore, we have tested this ingredient in our shampoos and can confirm that it does not meet the quality standards we want to offer you. The lather it produces is very weak, difficult to distribute, requires more product due to multiple applications, and tends to weigh down the hair.

For these reasons, at Massio, we prefer to be cautious, offer you the best, and choose ingredients that ensure an authentic commitment to naturalness and safety. Therefore, we avoid the use of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate in our personal care products and opt for Sodium Coco-Sulfate.

Discover our range of solid shampoos, formulated to care for your hair and meet your needs, regardless of your hair type.

You will find shampoos designed with care, thinking of what’s best for you, nature, and your hair.